New Beef Technology Adoption Programme Launched

14 February 2012

A new initiative to encourage cattle farmers
adopt new technologies to improve their beef
businesses was launched by Simon Coveney, TD,
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, at a
‘Teagasc Profitable Suckling Event’ in Kilkenny on
Monday, 13 February.

The Beef Technology Adoption Programme is based
on a discussion group model, incentivising farmers
to participate in groups to increase the output and
profitability of their beef enterprises.

Speaking in Kilkenny at the launch, Teagasc
Director, Professor Gerry Boyle said: “The Beef
Technology Adoption Programme contains all the vital
elements of a successful beef business, built around
grassland, breeding, animal health, financial
measurement and producing beef for market
specifications. In delivering this programme, up to
100 Teagasc advisers will be facilitating farmer
discussion groups right around the country with up
to 5,000 farmers expected to participate. Through
the discussion groups, Teagasc advisers will be
working with farmers, using the Teagasc Profit
Monitor tool to measure the performance on farms and
develop plans to successfully grow their businesses.

Professor Boyle said that the physical and
financial performance on both the Derrypatrick beef
herd in Teagasc Grange and on the commercial farms
participating in the Teagasc/Irish Farmers Journal
BETTER Farm Beef Programme, are encouraging. The
2011 Teagasc Profit Monitor result for the
Derrypatrick herd shows a gross margin of €1,107 per
hectare, achieved through higher beef output per
hectare.